Senators Vow To Save Moon ShotsSenators Vow To Save Moon Shots

Critics from both sides of the aisle hammered the Obama administration's proposed cancellation of a program that would see NASA return to the moon for the first time in decades. They also rebuked the President for recommending the space agency turn launches over to private contractors.

"The President's proposed NASA budget begins the death march for the future of US human space flight," said Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala), in a statement Monday.

"The cancellation of the Constellation program and the end of human space flight does represent change—but it is certainly not the change I believe in. Congress cannot and will not sit back," said Shelby.

President Obama's proposed $3.8 trillion federal budget request strips funding for a return to the moon. It also would effectively outsource the transportation of astronauts to and from the International Space Station to private contractors.

Shelby characterized such contractors as "hobbyists" that lack a track record when it comes to successfully and safely launching space vehicles carrying humans.

Resuming trips to the moon, which astronauts have not visited since Apollo 17's trip there in 1972, was a key part of former president George W. Bush's plan for increased space exploration.

But Obama's proposed budget kills funding for Constellation, the aim of which was to return humans to the lunar surface by 2020. Under the program, NASA astronauts would have traveled to the moon in the Orion command module, powered by the Ares rocket.

Ares and Orion will now be shelved, along with Constellation, if Congress accepts the President's budget request.

Constellation was expected to create thousands of jobs in various parts of the country, and Congressional members in states affected by the cuts vowed to fight to keep the plan intact. Adding to the political stakes is a national unemployment rate hovering around 10%.

"Based on initial reports about the administration's plan for NASA, they are replacing lost shuttle jobs in Florida too slowly, risking U.S. leadership in space to China and Russia, and relying too heavily on unproven commercial companies," said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla).

Instead of manned moon missions, the President instead wants NASA to focus on sending crews into near-earth orbit to continue work on the International Space Station and other, related projects.